Banjo



(No Model.) l

. E. D. ALLINGTON.

BANJO. No. 359,658. Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

v wwwtofo @aw/0! M7/0a La Homgc-ls I |||||lll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD D. ALLINGTON,

OF FREEPOR'I, ILLINOIS.

BANJO. J

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,658, dated March 22, 1887.

Application filed May 15, 1886.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD D. ALLING- TON, a resident of Freeport, in the county of Stephenson and State of Illinois,have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pert-ains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in banjos and similar instruments wherein the sound is entirely or in part produced by the vibration of a membranous sheet subjected to tension, and more especially to improvements in means for supporting the vibrating membrane in such a manner that it may be divided into distinct or nearly distinct vibratory areas, whereby the quality of the tone produced is modified and, in the banjo at least, materially increased in volume and power.

'Ihe improvement is fully described, explained, and claimed in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, i n which- Figure 1 is a plan of an instrument involving my invention in its construction, certain parts unchanged from the ordinary form of a banjo being omitted. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same instrument with most of the clamps for straining the membrane removed. Fig.3 is a section on the line my of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged radial section through one of said clamps.

In thedrawings, lisacircular band or hoop of Wood; 2, the neck of theinstrument, bear'- ing the usual head and keys, which are not shown in the drawings; and 3, a narrower band of metal and exterior to the Jfirst, its office being to retain the membrane 4 5 stretched over the upper margin of the hoop 1. The retaining-piece 7, bridge 8, and strings 9 are of ordinary construction and arrangement.

Beneath the membrane 4 5 is a third band or hoop, 6, having the plane of its upper edge raised above that of the hoop 1, and pressed, consequently, against the membrane with a considerable degree of force. It is sustained in this position by the reduced neck 13, mor- Scrial No. 202.64. (No model.)

tised through its sides and securely fastened to the opposite sides of the outer hoop, 1, and by screws 10, Fig. 4.I

Fig. 4 shows the relative position of the hoops 1, 3, and 6 and various parts ofthe clamps 11 12 16. Each of the clamps consists of a block, 16, fastened to the body 1, a rod, 11, having a hooked upper end engaging the hoop 3, and a screw-threaded lower end projecting through the block, and a nut, 12, engaging the screw-threaded end of the rod. The screws 10, by means of their threaded ends, engage with the blocks 16 of the clamps, and in practice each clamp has a corresponding screw, except where other parts interfere with their insertion. In this ligure, 14 14 are coverings of sheet metal, usually employed, but which may be omitted. The part 4 of the membrane lying within the line of the inner hoop should beanapproximately the same ratio to the part, 5, lying between the hoops as it is shown to have in the drawings to produce the most pleasing effect; but it is not desired to limit this ratio, nor isit desired to limit the invention to a circular support, nor to one having a continuous surface of contact with the membrane.

VVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1 The combination of the body 1, neck 2 -13, ring 6, and retaining-screws 10, all co-operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. r1`he combination of the body l, ring 6, neck 2 13, and hoop Swith the blocks 16, fastened to t-he body, the clamping-rods 11, engaging the hoop 3 and passing through the blocks, the nuts 12, engaging said rods, and the screws 10, passing through the ring 6 and engaging the blocks 16, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDNVARD D. ALLINGTON.

lVitnesses: f-

H. POEFENBERGER,

J. A. GRAIN. 

